ASIA-PACIFIC FISHERY COMMISSION (APFIC) Regional overview of aquaculture trends in the Asia-Pacific Region 2014 RAP PUBLICATION 2014/26.

Transcription

1 RAP PUBLICATION 2014/26 ASIA-PACIFIC FISHERY COMMISSION (APFIC) Regional overview of aquaculture trends in the Asia-Pacific Region China Rest of the world APFIC member

2 viii

3 RAP PUBLICATION 2014/26 ASIA-PACIFIC FISHERY COMMISSION (APFIC) Regional overview of aquaculture trends in the Asia-Pacific Region 2014 Prepared by the Secretariat of the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS REGIONAL OFFICE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC Bangkok, 2014 i

4 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. ISBN FAO 2014 FAO encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except where otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of FAO as the source and copyright holder is given and that FAO s endorsement of users views, products or services is not implied in any way. All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be addressed to or to copyright@fao.org. FAO information products are available on the FAO website ( and can be purchased through publications-sales@fao.org. For copies write to: The Senior Fishery Officer FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific 39 Phra Athit Road Bangkok Thailand Tel: (+66) Fax: (+66) FAO-RAP@fao.org Citation: Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission Regional overview of aquaculture trends in the Asia-Pacific Region 2014, RAP Publication 2014/26, 45 p. ii

5 Foreword This biennial review of aquaculture production in the Asia-Pacific region has been produced by the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC) Secretariat as part of its function to inform member countries of the status and trends in the fishery and aquaculture sectors of the region. The Asia-Pacific region is the world leader in total aquaculture production, producing 58.5 million tonnes of aquaculture products in 2012, representing more than 89 percent of total global aquaculture production in that year (excluding aquatic plants). This production comprised more than 225 species and species groups in It is clear that, more than any other region, the review of aquaculture production by species, commodity group, country and subregion is important to understand trends in aquaculture development and the distribution of this production. The regional overview is prepared for member countries and other stakeholders to provide easy access to the complex and diverse aquaculture production of the Asia-Pacific region. Hiroyuki Konuma Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific iii

6 iv

7 Contents Foreword... iii Introduction... 1 Aquaculture Trends in Asia and the Pacific Region... 2 Trends in South Asia... 4 Trends in Southeast Asia... 6 Trends in the People s Republic of China... 8 Trends in the Other Asia subregion Trends in Oceania Freshwater Carnivorous Finfish with High Input Requirements Eels (Order Anguilliformes and Synbranchiformes) Perch-like fish (Family Percichthyidae) Snakeheads (Family Channidae) Salmonids (Family Salmonidae) farmed in freshwater Other high value freshwater finfish Freshwater Finfish with Low Input Requirements Carps and barbs (Family Cyprinidae) Catfish (Order Siluriformes) Tilapia (Genus Oreochromis) Freshwater fish nei Gourami (Family Osphronemidae) Milkfish (Genus Chanos) Other low value freshwater finfish Marine and Brackish Water Finfish Species Milkfish (Genus Chanos) Japanese Seabass and Barramundi (Family Centropomidae and Percichthyidae) Jacks (Family Carangidae) Seabream and porgies (Family Sparidae) Flatfish (Genus Psetta and Paralichthys) Groupers (Subfamily Epinephelinae) Tilapia cultured in marine environments (Genus Oreochromis) Salmonids cultured in brackish water and marine environments (Genus Salmo and Oncorhynchus) Cobia (Family Rachycentridae) Mullets (Genus Mugil and Liza) Snappers (Family Lutjanidae) Other marine finfish Crustaceans Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Giant Tiger Prawn (Penaeus monodon) Other shrimp and prawn Species (Family Caridea) Freshwater prawns (Genus Macrobrachium) Page v

8 Contents (continued) Page Crabs (Infra-order Brachyura) Freshwater crayfish and crawfish (Procambarus and Cherax spp.) Lobsters (Panulirus spp.) Molluscs Low value molluscs High Value Molluscs species Aquatic Plants Seaweed for food purposes Seaweeds for biopolymers Annex Data tables South Asia Aquaculture production by major group (2010 to 2012) Southeast Asia Aquaculture production by major group (2010 to 2012) China Aquaculture production by major group (2010 to 2012) Other Asia Aquaculture production by major group (2010 to 2012) Oceania Aquaculture production by major group (2010 to 2012) Freshwater carnivorous finfish (2002 to 2012) Freshwater omnivorous and herbivorous finfish (2002 to 2012) Marine finfish (2002 to 2012) Crustaceans by major group (2002 to 2012) Marine and brackishwater shrimp and prawns (2002 to 2012) Freshwater crustaceans (2002 to 2012) Low value molluscs (2005 to 2012) High value molluscs (2002 to 2012) Aquatic plants by country (2002 to 2012) Aquatic plants by species (2002 to 2012) vi

9 Introduction The Asia-Pacific region is the world leader in total aquaculture production. In 2012 the region produced 58.5 million tonnes of aquaculture products (excluding aquatic plants), accounting for 89 percent of the global aquaculture production of 66.7 million tonnes. More than any other region, the review of aquaculture production by species, commodity group, country and subregion is important to understand the trends in aquaculture development. The Asia-Pacific region reports a staggering list of 225 cultured species at family or species level indicating the diversity of the aquaculture sector in the region: 33 molluscs 18 aquatic plants 129 finfish 31 crustaceans (crabs, shrimp prawns, lobsters, crayfish) 2 amphibians (frogs) 2 reptiles (turtles) 10 other invertebrates (jellyfish, sea urchins, sea cucumber) This review of aquaculture status and trends covers the states, entities and areas of Asia and the Pacific region that report aquaculture statistics to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and which are within the area of competence of the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC). It is based on the data provided in the FAO FishStaJ database 1. For the aquaculture overview of the Asia-Pacific, the countries comprising the subregions are divided as follows: South Asia Bangladesh (the People s Republic of), Bhutan (the Kingdom of), India (the Republic of ), Maldives (the Republic of), Nepal (Federal Democratic Republic of), Pakistan (Islamic Republic of ) and Sri Lanka (the Democratic Socialist Republic of ). Southeast Asia China Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia (the Kingdom of), Indonesia (the Republic of), Lao PDR (People s Democratic Republic), Malaysia, Myanmar (the Union of), Philippines (the Republic of the), Singapore (the Republic of), Thailand (the Kingdom of), Timor-Leste (the Democratic Republic of ) and Viet Nam (the Socialist Republic of ). China (People s Republic of), Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region of China), Macao SAR (Special Administrative Region of China) and Taiwan Province of China. Other Asia Japan, Kazakhstan (the Republic of ), Korea DPR (Democratic People s Republic of ), Mongolia, Korea RO (Republic of), Tajikistan (the Republic of) and Uzbekistan (the Republic of). Oceania American Samoa, Australia, the Cook Islands, Fiji Islands (the Republic of the), French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati (the Republic of), the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Nauru (the Republic of), New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue (the Republic of), Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands (the Commonwealth of the), Palau (the Republic of), Papua New Guinea (PNG), Pitcairn Island, Samoa (the Independent State of ), Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga (the Kingdom of), Tuvalu, Vanuatu (the Republic of ), and Wallis and Futuna Islands

10 Aquaculture Trends in Asia and the Pacific Region Global aquaculture production has grown steadily, with an average growth rate of 4.5 percent per year between 2002 and This has accelerated to 5.0 percent per year over the last five years. In terms of value, the Asia-Pacific region contributed USD billion, with an average annual growth of 6.4 percent per year from 2002 to This equated to 79 percent of the total global aquaculture value, generating USD138 billion in Box 1: Top Asia-Pacific aquaculture producing countries in 2012 By weight: Seven Asia-Pacific states are found in the global top ten states in terms of aquaculture production in 2012: China (1), India (2), Viet Nam (3), Indonesia (4), Bangladesh (5), Thailand (7) and Myanmar (10). By value: Similarly, Asia-Pacific states hold seven of the top ten positions: China (1), India (2), Indonesia (3), Viet Nam (5), Japan (7), Bangladesh (8) and Thailand (9). Representing such a large majority of global production, both in terms of quantity and in terms of value, it is no surprise that most of the top aquaculture producing states are located in the Asia-Pacific region (Box 1). In Figure 1 the trends in global aquaculture production by volume are given from the period 2002 to The figures exclude aquatic plants. Tonnes (x 1 000) Asia-Pacific w/o China Rest of world China Year Figure 1: Trends in global aquaculture production (volume) 2002 to 2012, excluding aquatic plants 2

11 The top ten countries in terms of quantity and value are listed in Table 1 (2012 data). Table 1: Top ten global aquaculture producer states in 2012, by quantity and value (excluding aquatic plant production) By Quantity By Value Country Tonnes US$ Country (Thousand) (Million) China China India India Viet Nam Indonesia Indonesia Chile Bangladesh Viet Nam Norway Norway Thailand Japan Chile Bangladesh Egypt Thailand Myanmar 885 Egypt Rest of world Rest of world Total Total

12 Trends in South Asia The increase in total production quantity in South Asia, (excluding aquatic plants) from 2002 to 2012 can be seen in Figure 2. In 2012 the total production was 6,121,709 tonnes and valued at USD This is an increase of percent in terms of value and percent in terms of volume. The total increase in production from 2002 to 2012 was percent in terms of volume and percent in terms of value Crustaceans Freshwater/Diadromous fishes Marine fishes Molluscs Tonnes Year Figure 2: Trends in aquaculture production in South Asia by major species groups (excluding aquatic plants) The top 15 species produced in the South Asian subregion are given in Table 2. Freshwater and diadromous fish species strongly dominate production in this subregion with 90.2 percent of the total. Although only contributing 2.4 percent of total production by volume, it is interesting to note that marine fish production increased by 160 percent from 2010 to In 2012, freshwater and diadromous fish, accounted for about 90 percent of total aquaculture production in South Asia in This subregion also produces crustaceans, marine fish, and molluscs, and this is increasing. Table 2 shows the top species with the Indian carps dominating the list. Catla (Catla catla) production was preeminent, although production decreased slightly between 2010 and In freshwater fish production, fish from lower trophic levels, such as the omnivorous and herbivorous Indian carps, dominated. India alone produced 2,458,788 tonnes in In Bangladesh the most popular species produced is Rohu (Labeo rohita) with a total production of tonnes and in Nepal and Pakistan the most popular species in 2012 were silver carp (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix) and Rohu (Labeo rohita), respectively with productions of and tonnes. 4

13 There is also substantial production of other carps and barbs in the region, including mrigal carp (Cirrhinus mrigala) ( tonnes) mostly from India and Bangladesh. The production of grass carp has more than doubled from tonnes in 2010 to tonnes in Table 2: Top 15 species by volume (tonnes) in South Asia comparing 2010 and 2012 Cultured species Catla Rohu labeo Mrigal carp Freshwater fishes nei Silver carp Striped catfish Giant tiger prawn Grass carp Marine fishes nei Whiteleg shrimp Tilapias nei Common carp Giant river prawn Silver barb Cyprinids nei The most cultured crustacean is the giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) but it is noteworthy that production of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) has increased from no production in 2010 to 136,300 tonnes in This increase is mainly due to greater cost-efficiency in culture technology, particularly in India. Compared to other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, South Asia has not experienced serious problems with acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease, sometimes known as early mortality syndrome (EMS/AHPND). Total crustacean production was tonnes in 2010 increasing to tonnes in The top three species produced in Sri Lanka in 2012 were: giant tiger prawn, (3 310 tonnes), tilapia (1 825 tonnes) of and Common carp (1 371 tonnes). Mollusc production in the South Asian region is low, with a total production of tonnes, valued at USD29 million in The two main species produced are green mussel (Perna viridis) produced in India and Indian backwater oyster (Crassostrea madrasensis), produced mainly in India, with a smaller production in Sri Lanka. The marine fish cultured in the subregion, mostly in India and Bangladesh, are not defined and are classed as marine fish nei ( not elsewhere identified ). There was a decrease in production in 2010, but there was a recovery between 2010 and 2012 from to tonnes, mainly due to an increase in India from to tonnes. 5

14 Trends in Southeast Asia Compared to other subregions in Asia-Pacific, aquaculture production in Southeast Asia is highly diversified with a large number of species cultured in fresh, brackish and marine environments. Total production in terms of quantity (excluding aquatic plants) from 2002 to 2012, can be seen in Figure 3. In 2012 the total production was tonnes, valued at USD This is an increase of percent in terms of volume and percent in value from 2010 to Between 2002 and 2012 the increase was percent in volume and percent in value Aquatic Animals Nei Crustaceans Freshwater Diadrom Fish Marine Fish Molluscs Tonnes Year Figure 3: Trends in aquaculture production in Southeast Asia by major species groups (excluding aquatic plants) In Table 3 the top 15 species produced in the Southeast Asian subregion are presented. Pangasius (Pangasius sp.) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) are the two dominant species with whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), milkfish (Chanos chanos) and giant tiger prawn (P. monodon), the next three most popular species produced. It is interesting to see that despite the serious problems many Southeast Asian countries have experienced with early mortality syndrome (EMS)/acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), the total production in the subregion of whiteleg shrimp and giant tiger prawn has not gone down. There will probably be a drop in production in 2013/2014 as Thailand and Malaysia, in particular, continue to experience problems with the disease. EMS/AHPND was first reported in southern China in 2010 and subsequently in Viet Nam, Thailand, and Malaysia. EMS/AHPND disease typically affects shrimp postlarvae within days after stocking and frequently causes up to 100 percent mortality. The causative agent of EMS/AHPND has been reported to be a bacterium; a pathogenic Vibrio belonging to the Harveyi clade, presumably Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and the disease continues to be very costly both at farm and national level in countries where the disease is present. 6

15 Table 3: Top 15 species by volume (tonnes) in Southeast Asia, comparing 2010 and 2012 Cultured species Pangas catfishes nei Nile tilapia Whiteleg shrimp Milkfish Giant tiger prawn Rohu labeo T. shaped catfishes nei Common carp Cyprinids nei Marine molluscs nei Tilapias nei Freshwater fishes nei Green mussel Blood cockle Silver barb Total production of freshwater and diadromous finfish production in the subregion, was tonnes worth USD11.58 billion in The growth in both volume and value from 2010 to 2012 was high, respectively 34.1 and 16.5 percent with an increase in volume of percent between 2002 and The top 3 producing countries of freshwater and diadromous fish are: Indonesia ( tonnes), Viet Nam ( tonnes) and Myanmar ( tonnes). Most of the freshwater and diadromous fish species are low value species, some for export but mostly for local consumption. The Pangasius catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus and P. bocourti), mostly produced in Viet Nam, have the largest production at 1,621,108 tonnes in This is followed by Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), produced mainly in Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines, at 1,053,379 tonnes in Both species are important in terms of export and are, globally, two of the most traded species. Crustacean production in Southeast Asia is mainly focused around shrimp and prawn production, with the two most prominent species being whiteleg shrimp and giant tiger prawns. There is also considerable production of other species e.g. tropical spiny lobster, orange mud crab and swamp and swimming crabs. Total production in 2012 was 1,712,997 tonnes worth USD7.62 billion. The countries with the highest production of crustaceans in Southeast Asia were: Thailand ( tonnes), Viet Nam ( tonnes), Indonesia ( tonnes), Philippines ( tonnes) and Myanmar ( tonnes). Marine finfish production totalled 143,575 tonnes worth USD557, in The biggest producers were Indonesia (72,905 tonnes), Viet Nam (51,000 tonnes), Malaysia (13,369 tonnes) and Thailand (2 848 tonnes). Of the 47 species of marine finfish cultured in Southeast Asia, the most cultured were eastern pomfred (53,313 tonnes), marine fish nei (51,685 tonnes), groupers nei (14,882 tonnes) and mullets nei (6 566 tonnes). 7

16 Trends in the People s Republic of China China, has, by far, the world s largest and most diverse aquaculture production. The total volume and value of aquaculture in China in 2012 was estimated at tonnes with a value of USD67.5 billion. Growth since 2010 has been percent, and over a ten year period (2002 to 2012) percent. In Figure 4 the trend in production from 2002 to 2012 can be seen Others Aquatic Animals Nei Crustaceans Freshwater Diadrom Fish Marine Fish Molluscs Tonnes Year Figure 4: Trends in aquaculture production in China by major species groups (excluding aquatic plants) In Table 4, the top 15 species by volume for 2010 and 2012 are presented, showing a steady increase in all the species. The Chinese carps dominate the top 15, but oysters nei and Japanese carpet shell are also high on the list. Freshwater and diadromous finfish species, especially the Chinese carps are the most important to aquaculture in China. The carp produced are mainly for domestic consumption and are of crucial importance in both rural and urban areas of China to supply a good and fairly cheap source of protein for the Chinese people. Total production within this group amounted to 23.5 million tonnes worth USD33.5 billion in 2012, up from 20.1 million tonnes worth USD29.8 billion in China cultured 35 different species of freshwater and diadromous finfish in 2012, of which carps and barbs are the most important group, although other groups including Tilapia sp. and Pangasius sp. are also significant. 8

17 Table 4: Top 15 species by volume (tonnes) in China comparing 2010 and 2012 Cultured species Grass carp Cupped oysters nei Japanese carpet shell Silver carp Common carp Bighead carp Crucian carp Whiteleg shrimp Scallops nei Nile tilapia Freshwater fishes nei Marine molluscs nei Sea mussels nei Constricted tagelus Chinese mitten crab Production in China is unevenly distributed between the provinces. In Table 5 the top five provinces in China in terms of aquaculture production (volume) for marine and freshwater aquaculture are listed. For freshwater aquaculture the top five provinces account for percent of China s total production, and for marine/brackish water aquaculture the figure is 64 percent. There are several other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, where there are this type of large difference and diversification at the national level (e.g. India, Thailand, Indonesia). Molluscs were the next highest group culture in China, with a total production of 12.5 million tonnes in 2012, more than 25 percent of China s total aquaculture production. This amounted to 80 percent of total world mollusc production, underlining the importance of China in global mollusc production. Most of the mollusc production in China is done in brackish and marine environments, where 14 out of 19 total species are cultured. Crustaceans were the third most cultured group in China, with a total production of 3.6 million tonnes in The top crustacean species are whiteleg shrimp ( tonnes), Chinese mitten crab ( tonnes), red swamp crawfish ( tonnes), oriental river prawn ( tonnes) and giant river prawn ( tonnes). Most crustacean production in China is conducted in freshwater, where 9 out of 16 total species are cultured. There is also a large production of crustaceans in the marine environment, where 11 species are cultured. Interestingly, whiteleg shrimp are cultured equally in fresh and marine/brackish waters. 9

18 Table 5: The top five producing provinces in China divided into freshwater aquaculture and marine/brackish water culture environment (Bureau of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture Chinese Fishery Statistical Yearbook China Agricultural Press, Beijing 145 pp.). Province Tonnes Province Tonnes Shandong Hubei Fujian Guangdong Guangdong Jiangsu Ciaoniing Hunan Guangxi Jiangxi Total Total Compared with other species, there is relatively low production of marine finfish in China. However, compared with other regions, production is still huge, with a total production in 2012 of tonnes worth USD2.6 billion. The largest marine finfish group/species is marine fish nei with a production in 2012 of tonnes. It is difficult to compare data in these nei classes as authorities sometimes reclassify species. Other important marine finfish species are higher value carnivorous species and include: Japanese seabass (Lateolabrax japonicus) with a production of tonnes, pompanos nei ( tonnes), grouper nei ( tonnes) and the large yellow croaker (Larimichthys croceus), an omnivorous species, with a production of tonnes. 10

19 Trends in the Other Asia subregion In 2012 the Other Asia subregion had an annual aquaculture production (excluding aquatic plants) of tonnes with a value of USD5.68 billion. This is under 5 percent of the total global aquaculture production. The development of the subregion s aquaculture production from 2002 to 2012 can be seen in Figure 5. Compared to other subregions in Asia-Pacific, the increase over the last decade has been quite low. Production was quite stable between 2002 and 2010, with a slight decline from 2010 to 2012 of about 6.0 percent in terms of volume and a slight increase in terms of value at 4.3 percent Others Aquatic Animals Nei Crustaceans Freshwater Diadrom Fish Marine Fish Molluscs Tonnes Year Figure 5: Trends in aquaculture production in Other Asian by major species groups (excluding aquatic plants) The largest producing country in the subregion is Japan, with a production of tonnes valued at USD4.22 billion. The Republic of Korea had the second largest production, tonnes valued at USD1.4 billion. Both Japan and the Republic of Korea concentrate on production of higher value species. The third major producer in the subregion is the Democratic People s Republic of Korea which produced tonnes worth USD49.6 million in In Table 6 a list of the most produced species in the subregion are listed. Table 6 shows that this subregion has a comparatively large production of molluscs and marine finfish. In 2012 the total production of molluscs was tonnes and the total production of marine finfish tonnes (including pelagic, demersal and marine fish nei). The production of molluscs in the subregion is mostly high value species e.g. Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and Yesso scallop (Patinopecten Yessoensis). 11

20 Table 6: Top 15 species by volume (tonnes) in Other Asia comparing 2010 and 2012 Cultured species Japanese amberjack Japanese eel Silver seabream Pacific cupped oyster Yesso scallop Bastard halibut Abalones nei Korean rockfish Pearl oyster shells nei Kuruma prawn Ayu sweetfish Tiger pufferfish Rainbow trout Trouts nei Coho (= Silver) salmon The top cultured species is the Pacific cupped oyster, cultured mainly in the Republic of Korea and Japan. With a production of tonnes in 2012, it is slightly down from The Yesso scallop is popular in Japan, with a total production for the subregion of about tonnes in The Korean mussel (Mytilus coruscus) was produced exclusively in the Republic of Korea with tonnes in 2012, a decline from the 2010 figures. The culture of marine finfish in the subregion is an important activity generating more than 70 percent of the subregions value in The main production of marine finfish is by Japan and the Republic of Korea. There are 21 species of marine finfish cultured in the subregion and, as can be seen in Table 6, the Japanese amberjack (Seriola quinqueradiata), is by far the most popular. There were a total of 18 freshwater and diadromous freshwater finfish species cultured in the subregion, mostly comprising high value carnivorous species together with a few lower value carp species. The most important species cultured in 2012 was the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica), produced in Japan and the Republic of Korea. Crustacean production in the subregion is low. Total production amounted to just tonnes worth USD146 million in The principle crustacean species farmed is the whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), which was only introduced into the Republic of Korea in 2006, but has experienced high growth since then. The only other important species cultured is the kuruma prawn (Penaeus japonicus), which is cultured in Japan. 12

21 Trends in Oceania Oceania s total aquaculture production amounted to tonnes worth USD1.2 billion in There has been a slight decrease in production from 2010 to 2012, 0.53 percent in volume, but over the last ten years (2002 to 2012) there was an average yearly growth of 4.43 percent. Oceania s production is dominated by the production of high value molluscs together with freshwater and diadromous fish. The development of production from 2002 to 2012 can be seen in Figure Aquatic Animals Nei Others Crustaceans Freshwater Diadrom Fish Tonnes Year Figure 6: Trends in aquaculture production in Oceania by major species groups (excluding aquatic plants) The biggest producers by far in 2012 were New Zealand ( tonnes) and Australia ( tonnes). Third in the subregion is French Polynesia with a production of tonnes in In Table 7 the top species produced are listed. The majority of the culture in the Oceania subregion is of molluscs with a significant production of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) ( tonnes in 2012). Total mollusc production in 2012 was tonnes with a value of USD305 million. Eighty percent of mollusc production in Oceania is the New Zealand mussel (Perna canaliculus) cultured in New Zealand. Other major mollusc species cultured in the subregion, including the Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas), are produced mostly in Australia and New Zealand. 13

22 Table 7: Top 15 species by volume (tonnes) in Oceania comparing 2010 and 2012 Cultured species New Zealand mussel Atlantic salmon Flat and cupped oysters nei Chinook (= Spring = King) salmon Barramundi (= Giant seaperch) Penaeus shrimps nei Australian mussel Aquatic invertebrates nei Blacklip pearl oyster Southern bluefin tuna Blue shrimp Marine fishes nei Nile tilapia Pacific cupped oyster Blacklip abalone There were only 6 species of marine finfish cultured in Oceania with the Atlantic salmon being the most important. All of this production was from Tasmania in Australia, where some large and very modern salmon farms operate. Second was chinook (spring or king) salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) with a production of tonnes, and thirdly Barramundi or the giant seaperch (Lates calcarifer) with tonnes grown in There is some production of freshwater and diadromous finfish species. Freshwater fish make up less than 2 percent of the aquaculture production in Oceania, and only 8 species of freshwater/ diadromous fish were cultured in These included Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Freshwater fish nei, common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus). 14

23 Freshwater Carnivorous Finfish with High Input Requirements Freshwater carnivorous finfish are generally defined as the group of high value freshwater fish that require a high level of protein input due to their carnivorous nature. Also included here, because they are cultured in freshwater, are species that are basically marine or brackish water species e.g. pomfred, some salmonids and eels. In Figure 7 the total production for the region of eels, perch-like fish, snakeheads, freshwater salmonids and knifefish/gobies can be seen. Tonnes Year Salmonids Others Snakeheads Perch-like fishes Eels Figure 7: Changes in freshwater carnivorous fish species production from 2002 to 2012 in Asia and the Pacific region The culture of this group of high value freshwater fish in the Asia and the Pacific region has been increasingly fairly constantly over the past decade, with a growth rate of 17 percent per year between 2002 to 2012, reaching a total production of tonnes in From 2010 to 2012 there was an increase in all five groups. The increase in these species correlates to the general rise in living standards across the region, with growing middle class affluence fuelling demand for higher value species. Eels (Order Anguilliformes and Synbranchiformes) The production of eels in the Asia and the Pacific region in 2012 was tonnes, which is an annual growth of 11 percent since 2002 when production was tonnes (Figure 7). Production is dominated by two species, the Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus) and Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica). The main producer is China, with tonnes, almost 96 percent of the total production in the region. The other countries in the region that produce eels are Japan, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Cambodia which produce smaller quantities through aquaculture. It should be noted that the accurate reporting of eel production with respect to the actual species produced is now of considerable importance with regard to the CITES listing. The APFIC region should see a significant decline in Anguilla anguilla production (in principle to zero) from Asian countries that lie outside of its natural range and therefore cannot import elvers from Europe. This has mean that considerable attention has turned to the sourcing of glass eels/elvers from within the Asia region from countries such as Myanmar and Indonesia and elsewhere. 15

24 Perch-like fish (Family Percichthyidae) The total production of this group was tonnes in This is an annual increase of 17 percent a year between 2002 and The group include Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), also called the giant seaperch, Mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi), largemouth black bass (Micropterus salmoides), silver perch (Bidyanus bibyanus), golden perch (Macquaria ambigua), European perch (Perca fluviatilis), Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii), Waigieu seaperch (Psammoperca waigiensis) and other seabreams. The largemouth black bass and the Mandarin fish are by far the dominant species with production of and tonnes respectively; both species are solely produced in China. There is a smaller, but increasing, production of Barramundi in Taiwan Province of China with tonnes in Snakeheads (Family Channidae) The snakeheads are the third largest group of the freshwater carnivorous finfish requiring high feed input. The total production in 2012 was tonnes, which is an annual increase of 29 percent since 2002 when the total production was tonnes. In 2012 China produced tonnes of snakehead, with Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia also contributing. The species are mostly unclassified snakeheads with smaller amounts of Indonesian snakeheads and striped snakeheads among others. China has recently started to report snakehead production separately (as with other species). Due to changes in how the snakeheads are reported in the statistics, it is difficult to identify a trend for the group, although it is clear that the group as a whole is seeing strong growth. It is also worth noting that the snakehead species are mainly produced for local and sometimes regional markets, but rarely exported outside the region. Salmonids (Family Salmonidae) farmed in freshwater The Salmonids are farmed in both fresh and marine waters, but this section only describes production and trends for freshwater culture. The freshwater production of salmonid species in the region was stable between 2003 to 2011 but then had a slight jump in 2012 with a production of tonnes, an increase of around 19 percent in one year. This was mainly due to increased production of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in China and increased production of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in New Zealand. Other countries in the region produce valuable salmonids, particularly rainbow trout in Japan and the Republic of Korea. It is also interesting to note, small, but increasing production from some of the more mountainous states e.g. Nepal, Republic of Korea, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. This rise in the volume of production of rainbow trout in China has grown at 9 percent per year since it was first reported in 2003, making it the predominant freshwater salmonid in the region. Other high value freshwater finfish Other high value fish species being produced in the region in freshwater include knifefish, gobies, sturgeons nei (Acipenseridae spp.), eastern pomfred (Schuettea scalaripinnis) and puffers nei (Tetraodontidae spp.). With a total production in 2012 of tonnes, there is considerable production of this diverse group, which are mostly produced for regional markets. The two dominant species are eastern pomfred and sturgeons nei. The eastern pomfred, which is produced in Indonesia, reached a production of tonnes in 2012, up from tonnes in The sturgeons nei are mainly produced in China ( tonnes in 2012) and in Viet Nam with a smaller but increasing production of tonnes in The production of marble goby (Oxyeleotris marmorata), produced in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, had a total production of 939 tonnes in In Bangladesh there is a niche production of Bronze featherback (Notopterus notopterus) of 533 tonnes in The bronze featherback is originally from the Tonle Sap river and lake system, but is also used for aquaculture in Bangladesh. 16

25 With slow growth rates and carnivorous diets as well as the requirement for moving or well-aerated water, culture of these species is comparatively costly. There has been an increased focus on intensification of the aquaculture sector in the region, but given the high levels of input required for these carnivorous species it is important that responsible intensification, especially for the carnivorous species, should also include increased efficiency. With increasing demand for resources in the region and globally it is important for the sector to think about utilization of resources e.g. good water quality, feed, suitability and quality of land. 17

26 Freshwater Finfish with Low Input Requirements Freshwater omnivorous and herbivorous fish are an important food for many countries in Asia and the Pacific region. Traditional pond culture still remains the dominant production system for finfish species and due to the herbivorous nature of many of the species in this group, the requirement for inputs is lower than for the carnivorous species. More than 80 percent of the total production is from aquaculture ponds. These are often extensive systems that integrate agriculture and aquaculture systems (IAA-farming) and hence are linked with other agriculture activities in order to capitalize on their by-products. The main motivations for practicing IAA-farming are increased income and food for home consumption from the available farm resources while reducing environmental impacts. One example of IAA-farming systems are the VAC-systems. The VAC-systems are a combination of horticulture, aquaculture, and livestock keeping within the same system. VAC comes from the Vietnamese words for garden (Vuon), pond (Ao) and livestock quarters (Chuong). The aquaculture part of the VAC-system often produces various carp species and was developed as a food security strategy for rural areas of Viet Nam. The advantage of the system is that it recirculates nutrients among the three subsystems providing both an economically and environmentally sustainable system. The VAC-systems are typically small-scale and family operated, and on average, occupy 0.5 ha of land with the aquaculture pond usually no bigger than m 2. The systems culture many of the main carp species including Rohu (Labeo rohita), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), Mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio). In general, the culture of this group of low value herbivorous and omnivorous freshwater fish in the Asia and the Pacific region has been growing more slowly than carnivorous freshwater finfish over the past decade, with a growth rate of 6 percent per year between 2000 and However it is important to note that this type of aquaculture is still the backbone of aquaculture production in Asia and the Pacific, especially for poorer rural farmers. These traditional systems are often neglected in both research and development as well as in policy development. The production from individual operation of such systems may be small and sometimes it might not be captured in the national statistics, as the products are often both grown and traded in the local community. However, the large number of these ponds and the aggregated production and value to the households engaged in the activity is probably very significant. Studies and analyses of the real impact of these systems and their contribution to income generation and nutrition in rural areas should be undertaken to better understand and appreciate the contribution from these systems. The production of this group increased nearly 10 percent from 2011 to 2012, with a production of tonnes, accounting for more than 95 percent of the freshwater fish production in the Asia-Pacific region. This group is divided into 7 groups, namely carps and barbs, catfish, tilapia, freshwater fish nei, Gourami, milkfish and others. The total production for each of the groups can be seen in Figure 8. Whilst most countries in the Asia-Pacific region have some production from this group, the main producers are China and India with the Chinese and Indian carp species. Production in Viet Nam grew at an impressive 18 percent in terms of volume between 2002 and Most of the increase in production in recent years has come from Viet Nam and India. 18

27 Tonnes (x 1 000) Freshwater fish nei Gouramis Milkfish Mullets Others Tilapia Catfish Carps and Barbs Year Figure 8: Changes in freshwater low input fish species production from 2002 to 2012 in Asia and the Pacific region Carps and barbs (Family Cyprinidae) The majority of aquaculture production both globally and in the region is from production of carps and barbs. One could argue that carps and barbs are the backbone of the aquaculture industry with these species providing both nutrition and income to many people in the region. Carp and barb production is particularly important in the most populous states, China, India and Bangladesh. Production is nearly entirely consumed domestically with only a very few high value species being traded within the region. The total production of carps and barbs from Asia and the Pacific region in 2012 was tonnes (Figure 8). The top six cultured finfish species in the Asia-Pacific region are carps from freshwater production. These are: grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), silver carp (Hypopthalmichthys molitrix), Catla (Catla catla), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), bighead carp (Hypopthalmichthys nobilis) and crucian carp (Carassius carassius), with a further five Roho labeo (Labeo rohita), wuchang bream (Megalobrama amblycephala), cyprinids nei (Cyprinidae), black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) and mrigal carp (Cirrhinus mrigala). In 2012 the total production of grass carp was a staggering tonnes. The grass carp is mainly produced in China ( tonnes), but there is production in Bangladesh (17 661), Bhutan (36 tonnes), Cambodia (190 tonnes), Hong Kong SAR (492 tonnes), India ( tonnes), Lao PDR (6 500 tonnes), Malaysia (3 029 tonnes), Myanmar ( tonnes), Nepal (2 375 tonnes), Pakistan ( tonnes), Sri Lanka (1 tonne), Taiwan Province of China (1 181 tonnes), Tajikistan (57 tonnes) and Uzbekistan (800 tonnes). The production of silver carp is also massive with total production in the region in 2012 of tonnes. The carp species with the highest rate of growth currently is the Catla, the production of which has been growing at just under 20 percent per year in terms of volume from 2002 to

28 Common carp is the most widely cultured species in the region with 19 countries having reported culturing this species. The other most widely cultured species are grass and silver carps (12 countries each), bighead carp (10 countries), Roho and mrigal (9 countries each), and Catla with 8 countries. Production of all of the species in this group is generally increasing, except for mrigal carp, which has been decreasing at 4 percent per year from 2002 to 2012). The rate of growth since 2002 for all the important carp species has started to show signs of slowing down. This might be linked to the increasing trend of some of the higher value species in both this group and also in the carnivorous freshwater fish group. Slower growth, or even stagnation, might be due to lower profit margins for the farmers and shrinking markets for the traditional carp and barb species. There is not much international trade of carp and barb species as they are largely consumed locally. There is some trade between India, Nepal and Bangladesh with Myanmar recently developing exports of carp to neighbouring Bangladesh and the Middle East. China is the main producer and consumer of carps. About 70 percent of the production is in China with total production in 2012 of more than 17 million tonnes. This comprises bighead carp, black carp, common carp, crucian carp, grass carp, mud carp and silver carp. Outside of China the increase in production of carps and barbs is due to the rapid growth rates in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Viet Nam, and Pakistan. In India it is the group of Indian major carps that dominate production with Catla ( tonnes), Roho ( tonnes), and Mrigal ( tonnes), but also a large production of grass carp ( tonnes), and silver carp ( tonnes). Catla production in India has increased from tonnes in 2002 to 2.5 million tonnes in It is interesting to note that the production of common carp was tonnes in 2010, but there was no reported production between 2011 and 2012 (similarly no production is reported between 2004 and 2009). The importance of carps to Indian aquaculture is clear as this equates to 77 percent by volume and 83 percent by value of India s total aquaculture production. It should also be noted that there are huge geographical differences in production, as well as consumption. These do not always match e.g. in the case of India, where Andhra Pradesh is a massive producer of freshwater fish, but levels of fish consumption indicated from household surveys remains relatively low compared to adjoining states. Bangladesh produced more than 1 million tonnes of carps and barbs in Indian carps dominate the production with Rohu ( tonnes), Catla ( tonnes), and Mrigal ( tonnes) being the main species. There is also a large production of silver carp ( tonnes) common carp ( tonnes) and silver barb ( tonnes). Most of the aquaculture systems in Bangladesh are extensive polyculture systems. Myanmar produced tonnes of carps and barbs in The main species in Myanmar by far, is the Rohu labeo (Labeo rohita) with a total production of tonnes, or more than 77 percent of carps and barbs production in Carp production in Myanmar is a rapidly growing activity and as noted above there is a developing trade of carps to Bangladesh and India. Myanmar is increasingly interested to diversify its aquaculture production away from rohu. Viet Nam produced tonnes of carps and barbs in There has been a slight decline from 2011 where production was tonnes. All of the production is reported as cyprinids nei and common carp. This however covers a wide variation of different carp species being cultured especially in the Northern parts of Viet Nam, where both polyculture and monoculture systems of carp aquaculture are practiced. 20

29 Indonesia produced tonnes of carps and barbs in 2012, mostly Common carp, which had a production of tonnes in 2012 or 89 percent of the total carp and barb production. There is also a smaller production of gudgeons, Hoven s carp, nilem carp and silver barb. Pakistan produced tonnes of carps and barbs in From 2000 to 2010 there was a very high growth rate of 27 percent per year in terms of volume but from 2010 to 2012 there has been no increase. Most of this production comprised Rohu ( tonnes), silver carp ( tonnes), mrigal carp ( tonnes) and grass carp ( tonnes), all grown in extensive polyculture ponds. Lao PDR produced tonnes of carp and barb in What is interesting in Lao PDR is to see the trend towards a large number of different species. Lao PDR Production consists of bighead carp (8 500 tonnes), Catla (6 500 tonnes), common carp (7 500 tonnes), grass carp (6 500 tonnes), isok barb (5 200 tonnes), mrigal carp (6 000 tonnes), mud carp (4 000 tonnes), Rohu (6 900 tonnes), silver barb (8 000 tonnes), silver carp ( tonnes) and small mud carp (6 100 tonnes). Production of carp and barb is important for Lao PDR making up 75 percent by volume of total aquaculture production, although there is increasing commercial culture of tilapia in cages. Catfish (Order Siluriformes) The total volume of catfish produced in the Asia and the Pacific region in 2012 was tonnes, making it the second most cultured group of freshwater fish requiring low input after the carps and the barbs. The top five producing states in the region and in the world are Viet Nam, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia. This group includes the pangas catfish (Pangasius spp.), Clarias spp., Mystus spp., Silurid spp., Pelteobagrus spp. and some introduced species e.g. channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). In 2002 the total production was only tonnes so the increase in production has been spectacular with an increase of more than 25 percent per year since The biggest producer of catfish is Viet Nam, which has seen a dramatic increase in the production of tra (Pangasianodon hypopthalmus) and basa (Pangasius bocourti), the two main catfish species cultured there. Production has increased from tonnes in 2002 to 1.26 million tonnes in Exports to the European Union (EU) increased, but in recent years has seen a decline due to increasing availability or sourcing of other white fish meats (e.g. North Atlantic cod) and due to bad press in the European media. The Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters (VASEP) estimates that Viet Nam accounts for about 40 percent of the total European (27 countries) frozen freshwater fillets market. The years 2012 to 2014 saw an increase in exports to the Russian Federation, in an attempt to diversify markets. Besides the production from Viet Nam there are smaller volumes being produced in Malaysia ( tonnes), Indonesia ( tonnes), and Cambodia ( tonnes). The second largest group of catfish reported is the Clarias Spp. group, including hybrid catfish, torpedo-shaped catfish, Hong Kong SAR and Philippine catfish. The total production of Clarias sp. in the region amounted to nearly tonnes in The American Channel catfish has also been imported into China, which now reports a production of 0.2 million tonnes in Since its first importation in 2002, production has grown very rapidly by 280 percent per year in terms of volume and 230 percent per year in terms of value between 2003 and Much of this production is reportedly exported to the USA, although there is now also some domestic consumption in China. The other main species of catfish produced in the region is the Amur catfish (Silurus asotus) produced mainly in China, with some production in the Republic of Korea. China produced tonnes in

30 Tilapia (Genus Oreochromis) Tilapia production in the Asia and the Pacific region has increased steadily over the past two decades and is the third most important cultured finfish species in this group after carps/barbs and catfish. In 2012 the total production of freshwater cultured Tilapia was tonnes up from million tonnes in There is a small percentage (less than 2 percent) produced in environments other than freshwater. Tilapia are together with the Pangassid catfish, one of the most internationally traded freshwater finfish species. The increase in production is driven by demand from an international market more than a domestic market, although Tilapia has also gained in popularity in the region. Being a more commercial product, the culture is more regulated and intensive than, for example carp species. To supply global value chains it is important to have traceability and standardization of size, feeds and output from production systems. Quality control and food safety issues are also crucial. In 2012, China produced tonnes of tilapia with a production of tonnes of Nile tilapia and a smaller production of Blue tilapia ( tonnes). This is 51 percent of the total Tilapia production in the region. Most of the Chinese production is in the Southern provinces of Guangdong and on the island of Hainan. Indonesia is also a large producer of Nile tilapia ( tonnes in 2012), as well as some Mozambique tilapia ( tonnes in 2012). In 2012 The Philippines produced tonnes of Nile tilapia and Thailand had a production of tonnes. The main species is the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), followed by Mozambique tilapia and some hybrid species. The production of Tilapia has increased 24 percent between 2010 and 2012, mainly because of increased production in Indonesia, Viet Nam, China and Bangladesh. Tilapia hybrids between the blue (Oreochromis aureus) and Nile tilapia have been reported by China since 2007, and current production is already greater than 0.3 million tonnes. This production rate has grown at 7 percent per year between 2010 and 2012, and is expected to continue in Freshwater fish nei It is difficult to define a real trend in the freshwater fish nei as reporting details have changed over time. The total volume of freshwater fish nei reported in 2012 was tonnes, a significant amount. The major producer of the fish reported as freshwater fish nei is China, which reported tonnes in As species reporting develops and improves this category should become smaller. India also reports a large quantity as freshwater fish nei. The production in 2012 was tonnes. There is a large variation in the numbers reported year by year in this category, so there is, again, no clear trend. It may well be comprised largely of Pangasius spp. catfish, which are otherwise unreported in India. Viet Nam reported tonnes of nei production in 2012, up from tonnes in 2010, but down from tonnes reported in There is so much variation in this group that it is difficult to see any pattern. There is sometimes a correlation with some of the main identified species (e.g. if the nei goes down, you would see the reported Pangasius production increase in Viet Nam), but it is not easy to determine the actual reason. The less nei reported, the easier it will be to manage the sector, so an effort to minimize the nei reporting should be made. 22

31 Gourami (Family Osphronemidae) The total production of gouramis in the Asia and the Pacific region was tonnes in 2012, an increase of 53 percent since 2010 and with a growth rate of about 12 percent per year in terms of volume between 2002 and The main reasons for this large increase is a jump in production of climbing perch in Bangladesh, from tonnes in 2010 to tonnes in 2012, and from Indonesia with an increase of Giant gourami production from tonnes in 2010 to tonnes in The main species produced are giant gourami (Osphoronemus gourami) ( tonnes in 2012), Snakeskin gourami (Trichopodus pectoralis) ( tonnes in 2012), climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) ( tonnes), kissing gourami (Helostoma temminckii) (201 tonnes) and gouramis nei (10 tonnes in 2012) Gouramis are mainly produced in Indonesia ( tonnes in 2012), Thailand ( tonnes in 2012), Bangladesh ( tonnes in 2012), with smaller quantities originating in Cambodia (8 400 tonnes in 2012) and Philippines (189 tonnes in 2012). Milkfish (Genus Chanos) Most of the milkfish cultured in the region is grown in brackish and marine environments and will be reported in the marine and brackish section. The small portion of milkfish that is grown in freshwater amounted to tonnes in The main countries are the Philippines with tonnes in 2012, followed by Taiwan Province of China ( tonnes in 2012) and Sri Lanka (17 tonnes in 2012). Other low value freshwater finfish The total production of other low value freshwater finfish was tonnes in Some of the species in this group, for example the mullets (order Mugiliformes), are mostly produced in marine and brackish waters, but there is some limited production in freshwater. The total production of mullet (Mugil cephalus) in the region amounted to tonnes in Mullet is one of the species only consumed locally and not exported at all. Pacus and pirapatinga (Collossoma spp. and Piaractus spp.) are species originally from Latin American and are often not reported in the region. There was a total reported production of tonnes in 2012 up from tonnes in Production is focused in China, Viet Nam and Myanmar. 23

32 Marine and Brackish Water Finfish Species Total production of cultured marine and brackishwater fish species in the Asia and the Pacific region increased to tonnes in Most of the species produced in marine and brackish water are species requiring high feed inputs, as they are carnivorous species. There is a notable exception of the milkfish which is a herbivorous species, produced mainly in the Philippines. One of the main challenges with production of marine and brackish water species is the high cost associated with feed. Most of the feed is based on usage of low value fish from capture fisheries, and concerns are often raised, especially among environmental NGO s, about the sustainability of feeding fish to fish. There are, however, several on-going initiatives working to reduce the dependence on low-value fish from capture fisheries and, for example, use fish waste from the processing plants and/or alternative sources of protein (e.g. plant based). In Figure 9 the distribution and trend of the marine and brackish finfish is shown Groupers Others Halibut and Turbot Seabream and porgies Jacks Barramundi and seabass Marine Fishes nei Milkfish Tonnes Year Figure 9: Changes in freshwater carnivorous fish species production from 2002 to 2012 in Asia and the Pacific region Milkfish (Genus Chanos) Milkfish (Chanos chanos) is by volume the most popular marine fish cultured in the Asia and the Pacific region, comprising over 30 percent of the total production of all marine fish species cultured. In 2012 the total production of milkfish from marine and brackish waters was tonnes. When talking about milkfish it is necessary to mention the Philippines. They are traditionally the largest producers of milkfish, but in recent years Indonesia has taken the lead as the biggest producer. In 2012 Indonesia produced tonnes and the Philippines produced tonnes. Nearly all the Indonesian production comes from brackishwater ponds, with only small quantities from marine cages. The Philippines have produced milkfish for generations and they are typically produced in brackishwater ponds. These systems are fed with either pellets or low value fish and are part of the general trend of intensification of mariculture in the Philippines. It is interesting to 24

33 see a huge increase in production from Taiwan Province of China from tonnes in 2010 up to tonnes in Milkfish is also increasingly popular on the Pacific Islands and the production trend here is increasing. Japanese Seabass and Barramundi (Family Centropomidae and Percichthyidae) The Japanese seabass and the Barramundi (Lates calcarifer) are two very important groups of carnivorous marine/brackishwater finfish cultured in the Asia and the Pacific region, with a total production of tonnes in China produced tonnes of Japanese seabass (Lateolabrax japonicus) in Malaysia is quickly increasing production of Barramundi, producing tonnes in Thailand also produces significant quantities of Barramundi ( tonnes in 2012), but this is quite variable between successive years. Jacks (Family Carangidae) The total production of Jacks, a very important group of marine fish for the Asia and the Pacific region, was tonnes in The majority of this production is in Japan where tonnes of Japanese amberjack (Seriola quinqueradiata) were produced in Production is up from tonnes in 2010 to in 2012, a significant increase in the region. The jacks are cultured in marine cages with only a very small portion cultured in brackish ponds. Japanese culture of amberjack is the leader within this family, with production of tonnes in 2012, a growth rate of just 1 percent per year, although slightly down on 2008 production. There are also a number of other species including golden trevally, white trevally and greater amberjack cultured. Seabream and porgies (Family Sparidae) In 2012 there was a total production of seabream and porgies of tonnes. This is one of the few groups that are declining in production, especially in Japan where production of Blackhead seabream (Acanthopagrus schlegeli) has fallen since Besides the blackhead seabream, there are two other important species in this group namely the silver seabream (Pagrus auratus), porgies and seabreams nei (Sparidae spp.). Seabream and porgie production only occurs in Japan, China and Republic of Korea. The silver seabream is produced in both Japan ( tonnes in 2012), the Republic of Korea (2 870 tonnes in 2012) and Taiwan Province of China (27 tonnes in 2012). The Porgies are mainly produced in China which reached a total production in 2012 of tonnes. Flatfish (Genus Psetta and Paralichthys) Production of flatfish in the Asia and the Pacific region is limited to two species namely bastard halibut (Paralichthys olivaceus) and turbot (Psetta maxima). In 2012 total production was , which, since 2005, has been quite stable, with bastard halibut produced in Japan (3 125 tonnes) and the Republic of Korea, ( tonnes), with China producing tonnes of Turbot, all figures being from

34 Groupers (Subfamily Epinephelinae) The groupers are a fairly diverse group with a number of different species produced. Total production in 2012 was tonnes, an increase of 46 percent since The major producers include China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. In 2010, production of eight different individual grouper species was reported, however the bulk of the production ( tonnes in 2012) was reported as groupers nei, especially from China, Taiwan Province of China, Thailand and Indonesia. Since grouper are particularly difficult to culture, full-cycle culture of most grouper species is not yet possible, although several important advances have been made in recent years. Tilapia cultured in marine environments (Genus Oreochromis) Tilapias are cultured in both fresh and brackish marine environments but are mainly a freshwater species that can tolerate saltwater. In 2012 the total production in marine/brackish environments was tonnes. The main species are Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), as well as a large number of tilapias nei. The leading countries in the region are Indonesia ( tonnes of Nile tilapia and tonnes of Mozambique tilapia in 2012) and Philippines ( tonnes of Tilapia nei and tonnes of Nile tilapia in 2012). Some of this production of tilapias has come from polyculture of tilapias with shrimp in an effort to reduce mortalities resulting from the IMNV virus affecting Indonesian shrimp farms since There has also been research and good results with producing shrimp and tilapia in polyculture to reduce the risk of EMS in shrimp. The tilapia appear to be able to change water chemistry through a probiotic action and perhaps consume infected shrimp before they can pass on the virus or the bacteria to their neighbours. In addition, Taiwan Province of China produced tonnes of tilapias nei, in brackishwater in Salmonids cultured in brackish water and marine environments (Genus Salmo and Oncorhynchus) The total production of the marine and brackish production of salmonids was in This production was mainly in Australia and New Zealand with some also in Japan. Japan has gone from farming 116 tonnes of Coho salmon (Oncorhrynchus kisutch) in 2011 to tonnes in In Australia it is the farming of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), in the Southern parts of the country that contribute the tonnes produced in In New Zealand tonnes of Chinook salmon (Oncorhrynchus tshawytscha) was produced in Cobia (Family Rachycentridae) The total production of Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) in 2012 was tonnes. After a few years of rapid growth there seems to be a flattening out of the production in the region. In 2012 China was the lead country with 37,210 tonnes, Viet Nam second with and estimated tonnes, followed by Taiwan Province of China and Singapore with and 1 tonne respectively. 26

35 Mullets (Genus Mugil and Liza) The main species of mullets cultured in the region are the flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus), the squaretail mullet (Liza vaigiensis) and other mullets nei. In 2012 the total production of mullets from marine and brackish waters amounted to tonnes, with an annual growth rate of 3 percent between 2002 and All of this production came from brackish and marine waters in Indonesia (6 547 tonnes), Republic of Korea (5 839 tonnes), Taiwan Province of China (1,206 tonnes) and Singapore (299 tonnes). Snappers (Family Lutjanidae) Total production from this group in the region totalled tonnes in 2012, down tonnes in 2010, mainly due to reduced production of John s snapper in Malaysia (which was down nearly 500 tonnes to tonnes in 2012). The main species of snappers produced in the region in 2012 included the mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus) from Malaysia, Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, John s snapper (Lutjanus johnii) from Malaysia and Singapore, Russell s snapper (Lutjanus russelli) from Hong Kong SAR and other snappers nei in small quantities from Cambodia, Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong SAR, Singapore and the Philippines. Other marine finfish Total production from this group in the region totalled tonnes in 2012 with the main species including righteye flounders nei, tiger pufferfish, Japanese jack mackerel and river eels nei. Two other marine finfish are from the family Larimichthys and Sciaenops, popularly called croakers and drums, are also included in this group. This group of fish is of interest because of the large reported production from China. Despite China s has decrease in reporting the amount of nei fish, other countries especially Bangladesh, Indonesia and India have increased this nei production. Since individual species are not reported, trends cannot be determined, beyond the observation that this is a growth area in these three countries. 27

36 Crustaceans Crustaceans, especially the shrimp species whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and the giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon), have generated considerable profit for the region and have the highest unit value of any aquaculture group. In 2012 total production of crustaceans in the region was 5.78 million tonnes, with China the largest single country producer with nearly 3.6 million tonnes or 62 percent of the total. In recent years Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Syndrome (AHPNS), also known as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) has devastated production in several countries in the region. Although there are many other crustacean species cultured in the Asia-Pacific region, the predominant commercial species are penaeid shrimp: whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), giant tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon), together with Penaeus nei. The development of crustacean production in the region can be seen in Figure 10. Tonnes Freshwater crayfish Other shrimp Crab Penaeus nei Freshwater prawn Lobster Giant tiger prawn Whiteleg shrimp Year Figure 10: Changes in crustacean species production from 2002 to 2012 in Asia and the Pacific region While some countries have experienced challenges and reduced production, other countries have seen an opportunity and begun large-scale production of shrimp. Among the most notable is India, which increased production of whiteleg shrimp from non-reported in 2010 up to tonnes in Indonesia has also increased their production significantly from tonnes in 2009 to tonnes in The increase in these countries has covered some of the loss that has been seen in countries affected by AHPNS. As can be seen in Figure 10, crustacean aquaculture production in 2012 was dominated by penaeid shrimp. This comprised: whiteleg shrimp ( tonnes) and giant tiger prawns ( tonnes) followed by Penaeus nei ( ). The major penaeid shrimp producing countries in 2012 were: China ( tonnes), Thailand ( tonnes), Viet Nam ( tonnes), Indonesia ( tonnes) and India ( tonnes). 28